


Hereditary

by BoneStudio



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Bisexual Character, Canon Disabled Character, Dad Reaper | Gabriel Reyes, Dad Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Hanzo Shimada has Prosthetic Legs, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Mission Fic, Multi, Multiple Pairings, Polyglot Jesse McCree, Slow Burn, Team as Family, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-03-10 21:13:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13509891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoneStudio/pseuds/BoneStudio
Summary: Jesse McCree has everything he could ever want; a family, an adoring partner, his health (considerably) and a bright future. But once he incidentally stumbles upon someone that has been hurt because of his past mistakes, he would do anything to right his wrong. Lead down a rabbit hole and discovering things about himself and his family that he never knew, he realizes just how much of an impact he'd left on the world and those who inherited it.





	1. It Isn't Mine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cadbberry](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cadbberry/gifts), [kdwalbring](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kdwalbring/gifts), [Tevokkia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tevokkia/gifts), [haetae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/haetae/gifts).
  * Inspired by [First Time](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8910469) by [kdwalbring](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kdwalbring/pseuds/kdwalbring). 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mission goes right but life has a way of going horribly wrong.

The mission was progressing well with all things considered. The lack of civilians in the abandoned sector of Kings Row meant less innocent people were in harm’s way. Though, it also gave Talon a place to set up their operations and potentially harm those in more populated areas. Bullets whizzed through the air and explosions rocked the ground beneath Jesse’s face as he threw back his head, calling out another enemy’s demise with a wide smile. His eye glinted and three more grunts fell to the debris-ridden alleyway, their faces froze in sheer horror, blood staining the concrete in a deep red.

The cowboy whistled a jaunty tune, tip-toeing around the corpses and gently nudging one out of the way as to not stain his boots. After he cleared them and gave his heel a light tap against the ground, his free hand went to his ear piece.

“Looks like we’ll be headin’ home early,” he said, twirling Peacekeeper in his hold and creeping closer to the mouth of the alleyway. “Whose got cookin’ duty?”

There was a bit of static on the other end and a few nonsensical words accompanied by a sigh. Gunfire and the telltale sound of bodies dropping, a heroic war cry which was surely Reinhardt, and a soft chuckle from Ana. “I believe it is your beau,” the sniper replied. “And do take your time, Jesse. I’m sure he’ll set aside leftovers for you.” Reinhardt laughed loud causing the ear piece to vibrate uncomfortably against Jesse’s ear drum. His cheeks warmed, pushing down his hat with Peacekeeper’s steaming barrel as he cleared his throat.

“Now c’mon ma’am, he ain’t that sweet on me.”

A scoff followed along with a few ‘mmhms’ from the other agents who’d stayed silent up til now either for adherence to keeping the line open for anything important, or waiting on the moment to toss him under the bus. As he turned the corner, raising his gun and surveying the alleyway, his thoughts wandered to Hanzo. Perhaps it wasn’t a good idea for him to linger near the archer before their departure to Kings Row. His hand clasped against the other’s exposed shoulder, thumb idly stroking against an intricate tattoo, as he said his momentary farewells. They maintained eye contact well until Tracer had to practically drag him onto the transport, saying they didn’t have a moment to lose.

A quick ‘see ya, darlin’ rewarded with a warm smile reflected in dark eyes which nearly made Jesse turn his back on the mission post haste. Their relationship wasn’t one defined by words and while he tried to keep himself focused on the mission, dark eyes and soft smiles seemed intent on distracting him at every turn.

“—- McCree.”

Jesse snapped back to the present, barely catching the tail end of Mercy’s sentence.

“What is your status, McCree?” She asked, desperation and weariness in her tone.

He winced. Getting too deep in his head on missions wasn’t a good idea. Any answer given too late could be the matter between life and death. And their beloved medic had seen too much death for comfort. Hearing her tired and pleading tugged at his heart strings, disdainful glares directed at the cooling corpses he passed.

“’m fine darlin’, killed ‘bout six of ‘em so far,” He resisted the urge to spit on them, instead forcing a smile, trying to ease the venom in his words. “How’re ya?”

She sighed. “I’m doing well,” she replied, not sounding well in the slightest. “We should be finished soon. Reinhardt and Tracer will be at your position in a few clicks.”

“Take a break, doctor,” Ana interjected. Her voice was soft but the tone of her words held no room for discussion on the matter. Jesse would’ve jokingly called it her “motherly voice” if he didn’t agree with her. “Stragglers were sighted entering a nearby building. It looks to be multi-floored, be careful McCree.”

He gave a curt nod, knowing that she could see him from wherever she may’ve been perched. Exiting the alleyway it wasn’t a few seconds later that Tracer blinked next to him.

“Well, it looks like you’ve been busy,” she whistled and peered behind him at the bodies. “I’ve only gotten four. The big guy kept charging the others and didn’t leave any for the rest of us.”

Jesse chuckled and patted her back as she pouted. Her hands settled on her hips shortly afterwards, chippy disposition regained.

“So, do you know what Hanzo is making for dinner?”

The chuckle died down, a strangled cough escaping the cowboy as he tipped his hat. “Now darlin’, ya don’t see me teasin’ ya about that girl of yours,” he bit back. “But nah, I don’ know what he’s makin.”

“I am sure that it will be delectable!” Reinhardt bellowed, his voice louder in person than it was via communicator. He swung his hammer over his shoulder and looked up to the buildings surrounding them, giving a jaunty wave. Tracer nudged Jesse and gave him a wink before clearing her throat loudly.

“Who’re you waving to, Rein?”

Although they couldn’t see his face, Jesse knew from the way his hand suspended in air and his body grew rigid that the German realized he was caught in the act. He laughed sheepishly and patted the back of his armored head.

“The building is only a few blocks away from you all, north west, large with a mossy covering near the entrance.”

Ana sounded amused but her words were all business. Immediately, the light-hearted mood that befell them returned to somber silence. Reinhardt led the small group, Jesse and Tracer checking alleyways, and peering up at looming buildings for signs of life. Before the gunfire, birds chirped and insects hissed, but now everything was deathly still and quiet. Jesse looked at Tracer and the speedster nodded, blinking over to the building’s entrance and pressing her back against the wall.

“There are no hostiles sighted in the windows, you are free to proceed,” Ana told them.

Jesse nodded to Reinhardt and joined Tracer on the other side of the doorway, pressing his back to it and holding Peacekeeper up. His finger stroked the trigger as he watched the crusader slowly make his way into the building. They followed after, Tracer keeping an eye on the doorway and Jesse watching Reinhardt’s back as they crept through the lower floor clearing every room as they went.

A trashbag rustled as Tracer darted by, slowing her steps as she walked back to it and knelt down. Her gloved hand pressed against it, a confused frown etching onto her features. “I thought this place was abandoned,” she said. “But this was tossed out recently.”

Jesse scowled. Who knew how long Talon might’ve been living here? But it wasn’t like them to leave things out in the open. Their tactics correlated far too much with Blackwatch’s operatives and if he knew anything about Blackwatch, they never left a trace.

“There’s a staircase,” Reinhardt whispered. “Is the upstair windows still clear, Ana?”

“They are.”

Jesse nodded to Tracer and she abandoned the trashbag, jogging after him as they slowly climbed the staircase. Gentle whispering could be heard amidst soft sobs freezing the agents in their tracks. The second floor consisted of a long hallway with three opens doors, sunlight pouring in and chasing away the shadows left by dim lighting. Several bodies littered the ground, all wearing Talon’s colors, with blood cooling underneath their corpses. The crying seemed to come from the closest room and Reinhardt nodded to them, walking closer and allowing Jesse to step in front of him.

The cowboy pressed his back to the wall and steeled his nerves. “Anybody hurt in there?” he called out. A knife sailed through the air and stabbed into the wall across from him. It vibrated for a moment then stood still, the force at which it was thrown enough to keep it in place. His gaze dropped to one of the bodies and he saw a knife situated in the back of his head, having cracked the back of his helmet and all.

“Don’t come closer,” someone growled, voice laced with warning and promise. “Unless you want to end up like the others.”

Jesse squeezed his eyes shut and took in a deep breath. That explained where the Talon agents had gone. Tracer shot him a questioning look and Reinhardt uneasily shifted his hammer from one hand to the other. “Someone is injured,” she mouthed. “We’ve got to help them.”

As much as he agreed with her it wasn’t worth getting a knife in his back or his head. Her eyes narrowed and he bit back a curse.

“They ain’t our guys,” he called out. “We actually came here to get rid of ‘em. Thought this place was abandoned and all.”

“And why should I believe you?”

Jesse mentally cursed, his eyes squeezing shut. He’d heard that tone one too many times before in the past. The words of someone who was about to leap to the nearest sensible conclusion. And from the dead bodies on the floor to the knife of the wall, he was almost certain that this might end in violence if he didn’t act quickly. Honestly, he hated pulling this card and spat the words out.

“We’re Overwatch,” he blurted out. “Y’know, the good guys?”

A pregnant pause followed and he readied himself for a barrage of knives. Hesitant footsteps came closer to the doorway before a small head of brown hair poked out of the doorway. A child, probably no older than nine years old, stared up at him with wide brown eyes. Dirt and grime smeared his cheeks, curly brown hair stopping at his shoulders, red smeared across his shirt and various stains caked on his pants and boots.

“Overwatch…?”

Slowly, Jesse lowered his gun as the boy looked him over. His gaze then flicked to Tracer, jaw falling. Eyes widening and hands clinging to the rotting doorhenge as he leaned closer for a better look. A smoky and spicy smell emanated from him, filling Jesse’s senses and his nose wrinkled.

“You’re..” His voice was light and airy, small as he reached out to her. “You’re Tracer.”

Tracer’s gaze softened and she tentatively held his hand in hers. Her fingers brushed against the back of his hand as she clasped it in a loose handshake, giving him time to draw away if he wanted. Her eyes were growing misty as his smile broadened and Jesse tipped his hat, feeling as if he was intruding on something precious.

“That I am,” she replied.

“Wow,” he gasped, eyes glimmering with awe. “Ya even talk like Tracer.”

Then he looked to Reinhardt and his grin broadened. “And you’re Reinhardt!” To the kid’s amusement, the crusader struck the best heroic pose he could. Jesse felt a smile tug at his lips as the boy pushed away from the doorway.

“Shingen, they’re really Overwatch!”

Then like that, the excitement died down and his eyes widened, voice growing quieter. “Shingen?” His breath hitched and he rushed into the room. Jesse shot a look at the others and stepped over the bodies, following after him and the sight before him took his breath away.

There were several blankets organized into a palette on the ground. A crockpot, pans, and bowls arranged next to a large pot filled with water and soap suds. Holopad laid abandoned on the ground, blood splattered on the screen, clothes hung up near the window drying in the sunlight. In the corner of the room, the boy was kneeling next to a teenager who was gently stroking his hair and whispering words in Japanese.

From Jesse’s time around Genji and Hanzo, he could tell what a few of them were.

“It’s okay.”

“Everything will be alright, Gabriel.”

Blood was seeping through his fingers and his gaze sharpened when the cowboy approached. Grunting in pain, he tried to stand up and push the younger boy behind him, gaze trained on Jesse and the others’ movements. Holstering Peacekeeper, Jesse raised his hands in a show of peace and slowly stepped forward.

“Kiddo, ya don’t look too good.”

“Don’t call me kiddo,” he snarled. “I don’t need your help. Your mission is over. You can leave.”

Jesse’s gaze flicked down to the boy’s legs. He was shaking like a newborn deer and if it wasn’t for sheer stubbornness and the wall he was bracing himself against, he would’ve fallen a long time ago. But the bleeding was increasing and his knees buckled, hand sliding down the wall as he fell to the ground. Jesse shot forward, holding him before his head could smack against the floor.

He cradled hiis head in his lap, pressing a finger to his ear piece. “Ana, we have two civilians located inside the building.”

“And seven dead Talon agents,” Reinhardt called out from the other room.

Jesse cursed and looked up at the shaking child in front of him. “We need an evac ASAP, one civilian has been injured, the amount of wounds is undetermined.”

His hand fell away from the ear piece as he let the stream of chatter be picked up by Tracer and Reinhardt. The child in front of him was shaking, gasping for breath as his hands hovered over the teen’s head, as if he was unsure where to touch. Agony colored his features replacing the childish awe and Jesse felt something snap in his chest.

“Your name is Gabriel, right?” The boy’s gaze shot up to him and he nodded hurriedly. “We’re gonna take care of him. You just gotta trust us, okay?”

Gabriel gulped and slowly nodded, tears welling up as he gently petted the teen’s hair. He muttered back reassurances in a mixture of Spanish and Japanese, clutching at anything on his companion’s person within reach. It would’ve been cruel to separate the two of them but they had to move him quickly.

“Trace, you mind takin’ our little pal Gabriel to the transport?”

“Not at all,” Tracer replied and stepped over cautiously, extending her hand for the child to take. He looked up at her and then to his companion whose breathing was harsh and short. Taking her hand, he squeezed and looked to Jesse with wide pleading eyes.

“I promise,” the cowboy said. “We’ll be right behind you.”

With that, Gabriel nodded and Tracer held him in her arms, blinking away. Jesse peered out the low window pushing aside the hanging clothes and saw her streaking across the street towards the transport off in the distance. He slipped his arm under the teen’s legs and the other braced around his shoulders lifting him up in a bridal carry. Blood smeared against his chest plate as the teen shifted in his grasp, pressing closer to him, breathing harshl through his teeth to keep from whining.

“You’re gonna be okay, kiddo.”

Jesse stepped out of the room and hurried down the steps with Reinhardt close behind him. The kid was falling in and out of consciousness but was steadily clinging on as he growled. The noise might’ve been intimidating when he was lucid but it sounded like an irritated grumble now.

“Don’t call me kiddo,” he grumbled.

“Save your breath, kid. We gotta get you outta here.”

“Not a kid..” He groaned as Jesse jostled him around, quickly apologizing after the fact. His voice was much quieter when he spoke again. “Not all of the blood is mine.”

An ache settled in Jesse’s chest. The scene felt all too familiar and all at once, it felt like the world was closing in on him. He didn’t care about making it home for dinner. He didn’t care about the Talon agents that had been laid out. He didn’t care about the mission. All he wanted was to make sure that the kid in his arms would be okay and the one sprinting away in Tracer’s would never look so horrified again.

“Save your breath.”

“I killed them,” he urged. “It was me.”

The transport was in sight and Jesse sped up as much as he could. To his relief, the kid was lucid enough to apply pressure to his wounds and stifle the bloodflow. Mercy’s wings could be seen in the distance, a beacon of hope and relief rushed through him only for his blood to chill in the next instance.

“I’m not sorry.”


	2. I'm Sorry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The strike team returns to the Watchpoint but all is not well.

When Athena announced that Jesse’s strike team was returning, Hanzo felt relief.

When Athena announced that everyone on the team was accounted for, Hanzo felt joy.

When Athena announced that the medbay was to be prepped for patients, Hanzo felt fear.

He was seated in Bastion’s garden as the omnic gleefully weaved together flower crowns with patient fingers. Zenyatta floated, hands on his knees, and Genji’s vents only opened occasionally to break the silence. Athena’s call rang out throughout the Watchpoint and Hanzo relieved sigh was cut short. Genji’s voice barely registered in his mind as he scaled the nearest wall, pulling himself onto the roof and sprinting across, his eyes trained on the horizon. The dragons writhed within his arm and whispered reassurances in his mind. They told him that Jesse would be fine and the images of a room or a life without the jovial cowboy were just figments of his imagination.

Hanzo wanted to believe them. Desperately, he tried to push the thoughts away and avoid knocking into the satellites positioned haphazardly around the rooftop. A streak of green punctuated Genji’s arrival and he glanced at his brother briefly, seeing his scarred visage and the flicker of a reassuring smile that didn’t reach his eyes. The ninja inclined his head to the right and Hanzo looked over his shoulder, as Zenyatta dodged another obstruction then gave him a peace sign.

“They’re fine,” Hanzo said aloud trying to chase the fear from his thoughts and his voice. “Everything will be alright.”

The transport was a dot on the horizon slowly coming closer as they approached the hangar. Hanzo’s heart swelled in his chest and he charged forward, briskly slipping past Genji and Zenyatta, making his way down into the hangar under the cover of shadows. His prosthetics tapped noisily against the metal railings yet he deftly moved from one perch to the next until he managed to land on a stack of cargo tucked in the corner.

His breathing was shallow and his chest heaved as the adrenaline died down but he never looked away from the transport as it docked. The door slowly lowered and Hanzo vaulted from his perch, racing to the ramp which led up to the main hold and coming to a stop among the other agents who gathered to see the extent of damage done to their team.

Tracer zipped down the ramp and came to a screeching halt in front of the crowd. Her eyes were wide, mouth quivering as she quickly looked to each of them. Her gloves were stained with red and her hands shook as she quickly took them off, balling them up into one another. Reinhardt was the second to walk down, his armor smeared with red as well, though he looked less shaken there was a distance to his gaze as he ambled towards Lucio.

The DJ stood there at the ready with a hover stretcher and jumped back as Reinhard fell to a knee in front of him. The giant man’s shoulders shook and he raised a hand to cover his face, stifling heavy sobs. Torbjorn and Brigitte rushed to his side, trying to coax him down from a full-on bawling. Hanzo’s blood ran cold as he watched Ana walk down, her rifle slung over her shoulder and a serape-wrapped bundle held tightly to her chest. Their eyes met and she slowed her steps, looking from Tracer to Reinhardt then back to Hanzo.

Genji’s hand clasped against Hanzo’s shoulder grounding him where he stood but chilling him to the bone.

“Where’s Jesse?”

The words were forced out and sounded harsher than he intended but he wanted to know. None of them responded and he gritted his teeth, stalking forward and wrenching away from Tracer’s grip as she tried to hold him back. He stomped towards Ana and opened his mouth to ask again only to falter as a child pressed his cheek against her sloping shoulders. The serape was wrapped around him and his hair was unruly, falling in his face as he slept, one arm draped loosely over Ana’s shoulder.

“Jesse is inside,” Ana replied as she hoisted the child up further momentarily jostling him from his sleep. He blearily looked around before relaxing into her hold, taking a fistful of her poncho in his hand and nestling his face against the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

“What happened,” Hanzo asked, his voice softening as Ana flinched and tucked the child close to her chest.

The jingle of spurs interrupted her as she opened her mouth to speak. Heavy footfalls reminding Hanzo of the thudding in his chest as he looked away from Ana to the vision that was Jesse McCree. His body armor was smeared with blood, hat missing and hair obscuring his eyes from view. An arm was slung over his shoulder, a young man of unknown origin leaning against him and being supported by the prosthetic arm around his waist keeping him upright as Jesse all but carried him down the walkway.

The glow of Mercy’s wings haloing them in gold as they trudged down the ramp. Briefly, Jesse lifted his head and his gaze met Hanzo’s, eyes widening and steps nearly slowing. The person leaning against him groaned and he continued the walk though glancing over his shoulder at Hanzo’s frozen form.

“We found them in an abandoned building,” Mercy said her voice barely a whisper.

She clutched Jesse’s hat in her hand like a lifeline, twisting the brim of it, as she struggled to keep her voice even. “Seven Talon agents were killed by him,” she mumbled. “And he was injured, trying to protect… him. I managed to stabilize him but...”

Ana shifted her hold on the serape-wrapped child and touched Mercy’s shoulder. At that moment, the doors to the hangar slid open revealing Fareeha, dressed in her civilian clothes with a panicked expression. Her eyes widened and she darted forward, helping Jesse carry the injured civilian to the hover stretcher. She’d look over her shoulder once or twice to Mercy and Hanzo met her gaze grimly.

“Lucio,” she began. “We need to get him to the medbay, quickly.”

Mercy wiped away the tears that threatened to fall and briskly made her way down the ramp, giving Jesse his hat as he moved away from the stretcher.

“Shingen?”

The entire world stopped as the serape-wrapped bundle spoke, shifting in Ana’s grip to look around the room. His eyes were half-lidded until he saw the person laying on the hover stretcher. Eyes widening, he struggled in Ana’s hold resulting in him ungracefully falling onto the metal ramp. Hanzo reached down to help him but he darted out of his reach, running full tilt to the stretcher.

“Shingen!”

Jesse held out an arm and swept up the struggling child, holding him tight against his chest even as he struggled and kicked his feet. The boy fought viciously, and despite the little grunts and curses Jesse muttered, he didn’t react nor loosen his hold in the slightest.

“Let me go,” He yelled, reaching out to his friend, calling his name again and again. Hanzo’s heart clenched as he saw Jesse’s jaw tighten, the cowboy’s free hand tightening into a fist and hat tilted low to hide his eyes. He cautiously made his way towards Jesse, narrowly missing a blow as the child swung his arm back, hitting the cowboy in his jaw. If it was a grown man or anyone else then anger would’ve been his first instinct but Hanzo felt sorry for the angered child.

Zenyatta floated over with one of his harmonious orbs in hand, tossing it into the air, and the golden light enveloped both the child and Jesse.

“Be at peace, young one.”

The fight seemed to leave him as he slowed down his kicks, but his hand reached out to his unconscious friend with a hiccuping sob. “Shingen,” he cried and was slowly lowered to the ground. Lucio’s assessment was finished and Mercy stepped away just in time to avoid the boy barreling his way between them.

Compared to the others, he was small. His hair was unruly, clothes dirtied and worn, frame shaking as he clutched at his friend’s shirt and held him close. Hanzo was barely able to see his face but the quiet and stillness of the hangar allowed his cries to ring from the rafters. Jesse reached out and held his hand, lacing their fingers together and giving a hard squeeze.He was trembling but undid their hands a moment later to walk closer to the pair, holding out his hand and touching the boy’s shoulder.

“Gabriel,” he said lowly. “You remember m’ promise, yeah?”

A small nod came in response as the child — Gabriel as Jesse called him, wiped away at his tears with his sleeve, smearing dirt along the greying fabric.

“I’m a man of m’ word,” Jesse continued. “Always have been, always will be.”

Hanzo watched him take in a deep breath and then exhale. The same motions he used whenever he tried to deliver bad news or was going to do something he didn’t want to. Jesse spared him a glanced from the corner of his eye, having tilted his hat up and smiling forlornly. He didn’t want to separate the two of them. He didn’t want to restrain Gabriel to give Mercy and Lucio time to do their brief assessment. And glancing around the room, there wasn’t a single person unaffected by hearing a child calling out for his friend.

“Ya gotta let ‘im go for just a little while. Let Mercy and Lucio here fix him, I swear to ya he’ll be right as rain.”

It seemed like an eternity passed. The small child stagnant and clinging onto his friend’s clothes, a scene that none of them could look away from. But slowly yet surely, he relinquished his hold and pulled away, allowing the hover stretcher to raise up without the additional weight.

“Okay…”

His voice was small and touch featherlight as he brushed away locks of sweat-matted hair from the unconscious boy’s forehead.

“Everything will be alright, Shingen.”

Mercy gave orders to Lucio and the two walked alongside the hover stretcher as it disappeared through the entrance to the hangar. Gabriel stood there, Jesse’s hand on his shoulder, quiet and watching until they could no longer be seen.

“I’m sorry for hitting you.”

Jesse looked down and opened his mouth to say something but all words died as Gabriel turned around to look at him. His eyes were glazed over with tears, more tumbling down his cheeks but his lips didn’t quiver. He didn’t seem to notice that he was crying at all. Looking past Jesse, he stared at Ana.

“I’m sorry for fighting you.”

His head lowered, tears hitting the ground between his feet, hands curled into fists and pressed at his sides. Jesse was frozen in place, his hand suspended in mid-air and words caught in his throat.

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel choked out. “I’m sorry…”

Jesse stepped forward, kneeling down and wrapping his arms around the trembling child. Memories of a crying kid holding one of his broken toys or crying to his mom over a tiny cut flashed through his mind. But this was different. Gabriel didn’t throw his arms around him or nestle close to him, he just stood there, his hands at his side and cried repeating “I’m sorry” like a prayer. Jesse held him loosely allowing him a chance to move away but in truth, he feared if he held any tighter, Gabriel would shatter like glass.


	3. Sticks and Stones

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How did the old saying go?
> 
> Stick and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.
> 
> Are you alright Jesse?

The crowd slowly dispersed as Gabriel’s crying died down to shuddering breaths and hiccuping whimpers. Hanzo stood back with Genji and Zenyatta, watching helplessly as Jesse held the distressed boy. Although the orb’s light engulfed them in gold, there was no mistaking the lifeless expression on the youth’s face. He didn’t even react as Jesse pulled away from him and talked quietly while gently patting his shoulders or giving him a light shake when his gaze wandered from the cowboy’s face.

“He is shutting down,” Hanzo muttered worriedly.

Genji glanced at him. “How can you tell?” 

“You used to do the same when we were children,” Hanzo replied matter of factly. He could recall numerous occasions when Genji would tune out the world around him. Most of these instances being when the younger Shimada didn’t get his way. However, there were times that the life vanished from Genji’s eyes when he witnessed the clan’s business. The vacancy, hollow sound of his words, it was as if a ghost momentarily replaced his brother.

He could only imagine what this Shingen would’ve thought if he’d seen Gabriel this way. Or perhaps it wouldn’t have happened if the older boy was present and well. Remembering how close he’d come to shutting down himself at the mere thought of Jesse being hurt, his heart clenched. He scowled and walked over just in time to see Jesse rising to his full height, looking at him from the corner of his eye as he approached. 

 

“Hey Hanzo,” the cowboy smiled wearily. “Gabriel, this is my partner, Hanzo.”

Gabriel slowly lifted his head and looked in Hanzo’s direction. The archer’s eyes widened by a fraction and he bit the inside of his cheek. Dark brown eyes stared right through him, unblinking and heavy — the eyes of someone resigned to what would come next. Those eyes shouldn’t have been present on the face of a child, Hanzo thought. Gabriel’s rounded face was devoid of a smile or even a quivering lip. His lips in a thin line, dirt-caked and smeared on his cheeks from tear streaks, chestnut brown hair casting shadows.

A long-sleeved shirt that must’ve been white at some point was now grey and stained with blood, a size or two too big for him, brown pants hanging low on his hips and black boots scuffed and dirtied — the sole flopping against the ground as he shifted from one foot to the other.

“— gonna take good care of you, right Han?”

Hanzo blinked owlishly and looked up at Jesse blankly. The cowboy raised a brow and tilted his head to the side.

“You feelin’ all right, Han?”

No. He didn’t feel all right at all. “I will live,” Hanzo replied curtly. “What were you saying beforehand?”

“Was tellin’ him that we’re gonna take good care of ‘im,” Jesse eyed him curiously before letting the conversation drop. “That alright with you, Gabriel?”

At hearing his name, Gabriel looked away from Hanzo and back to Jesse then down to the outstretched hand offered by the cowboy. Hanzo was almost certain that he wouldn’t take it. So he pressed his hand against Jesse’s shoulder, gently pushing the cowboy’s arm away. Sinking down to his knees, Hanzo kept Gabriel’s stare.

“May I ask what your companion’s name was?”

A spark of life came back to the boy’s eyes, recognition of the question, his voice small as he spoke.

“Shingen.”

This was good. Just keep him talking about something that he knew. Hanzo nodded slowly, a small smile forming on his face that he hoped didn’t give away the increasing pressure in his chest.

“When was the last time that you and Shingen have eaten?”

Gabriel glanced down and shut his eyes for a brief period. The longer it took for him to reply, the heavier Hanzo’s heartfelt and with a brief glance towards Jesse, he could see the cowboy gnawing on his lower lip in anticipation.

“This morning, maybe…”

He looked down at his feet for a moment then peeked up at Hanzo. The archer nodded. It must've been awhile since they've eaten and the difference in time zone along with all the excitement might've skewed his perception of time. Sharing a side-glance with Jesse, the cowboy nodded and Hanzo returned it with a non-committal hum.

“Then, perhaps while you await his recovery, you could have dinner with us and a bath?”

Gabriel frowned at that. The spark of life was steadily growing but there was caution in his eyes and the way he held himself. His hands tucked in his pockets, one foot shifted backward while the other was firmly planted at a slight angle. Almost as if he was prepared to run at the slightest hint of something awry. Hanzo softened his voice, keeping himself still and maintaining a bit of distance between them.

“A medbay is a sterile area, do you know what sterile means?”

"Very clean."

Hanzo nodded, “Exactly, and to enter the medbay, you must be clean or you risk bringing germs.”

“Some germs are good though," Gabriel replied seeming skeptical over whether or not he'd be allowed entry.

Hanzo almost smirked as the little boy's eyebrows knitted together, his hands leaving his pockets so he could fold his arms across his chest. It wouldn't be easy to trick him and somehow that eased the weight in Hanzo's chest. Jesse's stifled laugh was hidden behind a poorly-done cough. Hanzo rolled his eyes and nodded.

“Clever boy, but some germs are not.”

Gabriel eyed him with the scrutiny of someone assessing the truth from a lie. Hanzo kept his face devoid of smiles or laughter though he felt a smirk tugging at his lips. While he did take this seriously, there was something cute about how menacing Gabriel tried to be. Resisting the urge to pat his head, Hanzo waited out his assessment and mentally breathed a sigh once he conceded to taking a bath. A loud growling noise interrupted their conversation and Gabriel settled his hands on his stomach with wide eyes. 

Jesse laughed and Gabriel shot him the most venomous stare he could muster. Redness colored his cheeks as he rubbed his stomach. Zenyatta covered the lower part of his face with his hand while Genji turned his head away to laugh. Hanzo folded his arms, satisfied at the light burning in the child's eyes as he stubbornly looked away from them in a desperate bid to hide his hunger. 

"After dinner?" Hanzo asked, standing up.

Gabriel peeked up at him, his other eye closed, the blush growing darker as Hanzo smiled knowingly. 

"Fine," he mumbled. 

Hanzo nudged a wheezing Jesse then turned on his heel, making his way back to the base with Gabriel in tow. Behind him, he heard Torbjorn call out for Jesse and stopped briefly to look behind him. The engineer glanced towards them and motioned for Hanzo to continue on but he stayed put until Jesse turned and tipped his hat. Their reunion would have to wait until later it seemed. Gabriel's stomach gave another protest against starvation and Hanzo guided the boy inside, Zenyatta and Genji following close behind.

* * *

  It wasn't often that Torbjorn called someone for a casual conversation. The man practically worked himself day and night with nary a moment to spare. He'd even put his daughter to work after she showed up with Reinhardt during the Recall. Though something told Jesse that this wasn't a casual conversation and out of respect for his elders, he abstained from lighting a cigar to ease his frayed nerves. 

“I’m gonna contact Ingrid," Torbjorn said once the doors to the hangar slid shut. "Ask her if we got any of the kids’ old clothes for the lil tyke to wear.”

Jesse felt the corner of his mouth twitch upwards. Torbjorn had enough kids to make up his own army and a soft spot for the younger ones as well. As the engineer spoke, he stroked his beard and stared into the distance, eyes misty and jaw clenched. When he looked in Jesse's direction, the gunslinger knew better than to bring up what he'd seen in Torbjorn's eyes. It would be a cold day in hell before the engineer would admit that he was crying. But the memory of a crying child would stick with them for the rest of their days. 

Torbjorn sighed heavily. “Is what Angela said true?”

“Yeah," Jesse replied, tilting his hat low. "Found ‘em inside an abandoned building, Ana sighted Talon heading in…”

Memories of blood drying underneath corpses, a crying child, an injured protector and racing towards the transport flashed through his mind in fast forward. He squeezed his eyes shut to try and force them back into the same box where all unwanted thoughts went. Torbjorn filled in the silence with a grunt.

“The older kid, Shingen, he was bad off?”

Jesse shoved one hand in his pocket and felt around for the pack of cigars that he kept on hand. When he came up with nothing, he clenched his fist and heaved a sigh. 

“Yeah. Ana put ‘im to sleep but kid started havin’ nightmares. Was freaking out for awhile until Mercy put ‘im under.”

It wasn't the prettiest sight. Thankfully, Gabriel was sleeping off the adrenaline by the time the nightmares started and Mercy was quick to put him under. Reinhardt tried to hold him still as he thrashed around and cried. Jesse usually never saw the crusader so quiet and if anyone else told him such a thing was possible, he'd hardly believe them. But as Shingen's nightmares persisted, Reinhardt held him to keep him from kicking or hurting himself or anyone else. He whispered encouragements to him until his body went slack and he was gone to the world. 

“Explains why the big lug is like that,” Torbjorn grumbled with a quick glance towards Ana and Reinhardt.

Ana helped Reinhardt to his feet and the pair made their way to the hangar doors one step at a time. Jesse turned his head away, pretending not to notice the delicate kiss Reinhardt pressed against Ana's forehead. Part of him wished he was doing the same thing with Hanzo right now. Having a reunion and a moment to bask in being together without any potential threat tearing them apart. Then he remembered the boy laying on a stretcher and the other shell-shocked from grief and fear. 

“So what’re ya gonna do with ‘im?”

Torbjorn's voice drew Jesse away from his thoughts. The engineer looked at him with an expectant gaze, eyebrow raised and arms folded across his chest. 

“They’re two kids, livin’ out on their own in Kings Row, attacked by Talon but they got outta it alive. So now what’re ya gonna do with ‘im?”

Jesse wasn't sure about that. At the time everything seemed so simple. Get the kids out of a terrible situation, bring them to the Watchpoint to get them patched up, but what would happen after that. Torbjorn seemed to notice his lack of a plan and shook his head, grumbling something under his breath as he brushed past him. His hard shoulder knocked against Jesse making him rub against the place of contact with a pained grunt. 

“You brought ‘im here,” Torbjorn reminded. “Gotta figure what the next move is, cowboy.”

With that, the engineer was gone and Jesse was the only one remaining in the hangar staring disdainfully at the doors leading towards the rest of the Watchpoint.

* * *

 The jingling of his spurs echoed in the emptied halls as he made his way towards the canteen. His hands were tucked in his pockets, eyes centered on his feet, taking one step after the next. His long strides coming to a stop as he came to the doorway, waiting for it to slide open before stepping inside, glancing at Hanzo who was leaning against a wall watching Gabriel eat. There was a glimmer to the archer's eyes that turned into a look of affection once he noticed Jesse's presence.  

“I gave him your portion. I hope you do not mind,” Hanzo frowned. “Jesse?”

Jesse glanced over at Gabriel. He was engrossed in his meal and sitting far enough away that he wouldn't hear them as long as they whispered. Chewing on the inside of his cheek for a minute, he desperately wanted to smoke a cigarette but tried to remind himself that he was in front of a child. Hanzo's hand touched his arm and he slowly looked back at inquisitive dark eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

Jesse felt like someone took the wind out of his sails. A shuddery breath escaped him and he raised his hand to hold Hanzo's, keeping their eyes locked as he spoke. 

“When the kid shut down, I didn’ know what to do, Han.”

It hurt him more than he'd like to admit. His first instinct was to hug Gabriel as much as possible. The few seconds between his reaction and the acknowledgment of a crying child in front of him felt like an eternity. A pivotal moment in which he could show that he had the stuff or he didn't. And it was obvious to himself that he didn't. Jesse bowed his head and the hand on his arm slipped up to his shoulder. Reluctantly, he met Hanzo's gaze. 

“Was he not like this before?”

Jesse shook his head. “No.” A bittersweet smile formed as he spoke, “You should’ve seen ‘im when he saw Tracer." Jesse hesitated, his thumb brushing against Hanzo's knuckles as he tried to bring forth the memory without the add-ons. Painting a picture of a smiling child and trying to ignore that he'd just stared death in the face for the umpteenth time in his young life. “Practically made the kid’s day. Then Reinhardt struck a pose for ‘im, made him laugh, but when he saw the state Shingen was in…”

“He looked so…" Jesse's words trailed off and he gave Hanzo's hand a squeeze.  "Broken and fragile and…” 

Jesse knew that his voice was wavering but Hanzo didn't bring it up. He simply held his hand a little tighter as Jesse forced the words out. 

“I promised ‘im but if the damage is done and Shingen d—”

“Don’t say it,” Hanzo interrupted.  “If you speak it into existence, it will come true.”

The cowboy's head bobbed up and down in agreement. He tried to focus on the little things around him rather than the thoughts buzzing in his head. Little things like how warm Hanzo was, the way the light reflected in his eyes, and the gentle curve of his lips when he smiled. He felt a stinging sensation behind his eyes and closed them, pressing his forehead to Hanzo's and feeling the archer's hand caress his cheek, thumb discretely wiping away a tear.

“You have a kind heart, Jesse.”

He almost chuckled at that. Muttering something about being an outlaw and a murderer, he couldn't bring himself to deny Hanzo's claim. The reunion wasn't exactly the one he envisioned upon returning home but as long as he had Hanzo and the others were still breathing, what did it matter?

“Mister Hanzo?”

Both men stiffened up and leaned away from one another to look at the waiting child. Gabriel's legs swung back and forth, his hands settled on his lap as he stared up at them. Jesse choked on his laughter and turned his head away practically feeling Hanzo's eye roll. The archer gave him a light shove and he held his hands up in defense, grinning all the while.

“Yes?"

Gabriel's smile reminded Hanzo of a younger Genji. A half-smirk that spoke of mischief and things to come. And while Hanzo was seeing a glimmer of the child Jesse witnessed earlier, he really didn't want _two_ kids on his hands. 

“I’m finished with my food.”

Hanzo looked down at the bowl of ramen and raised a brow. There was a considerable amount left inside and it looked like only half the vegetables were eaten. 

“...Were you not hungry?”

Gabriel raised his hand and moved it in a see-saw way.  A grumble came from his stomach and he clutched it with one hand, the other rubbing the back of his neck. Hanzo gave him a narrow-eyed stare and he quickly raised his hands in defense. 

“I was saving the rest for Shingen.”

Jesse tilted his head to the side, joining the conversation by sliding into a chair next to Gabriel.

“Why?”

The boy shrugged and patted his pants making a cloud of dust rise up to Hanzo's displeasure. However, he continued on and kept his gaze on his hands as he spoke. 

“Food is hard to come by and I don’t want him to be hungry when he wakes up.”

Hanzo saw how Jesse went rigid. His back straightening up, the steady bounce of his leg halting, and his eyes widening by a fraction. He shifted forward in his seat and pushed the bowl closer to Gabriel. 

“You don’ need to save food," Jesse assured in a tight voice. “We have more than enough to feed all of us and the two of you.”

Gabriel opened his mouth then shut it as he glared down the bowl of ramen as if it offended him. Hanzo found his dedication to Shingen admiring, reminding him of the days when he would sneak his food to Genji when the younger Shimada was sent to bed without dinner. The action while generous only spurred the questions in Hanzo's mind. 

How were they living prior to now that made it difficult for them to eat?

Who was looking out for them?

Hanzo slid into the chair across from Gabriel, catching Jesse's eye and the cowboy leaned away with his hands raised in mock surrender. The archer cleared his throat and Gabriel looked up at him expectantly. Hanzo steepled his fingers, feeling every bit of the yakuza training he'd long since pushed away returning in full force. Keeping his gaze level with Gabriel's and his expression neutral, he hoped to broker a deal.

“If it eases your fears," Hanzo said enunciating each word slowly. "I promise that once Shingen awakens, I will make him as much food as he desires.”

“Really?”

Hanzo nodded. 

“Me too?”

The childlike awe and sheer joy in Gabriel's voice at the prospect of a meal sent a chill down Hanzo's spine. At this point, he might have given him the whole world if it would keep him happy. Hanzo shifted his arms, holding one half-way across the table with his pinky extended. Jesse raised a brow and he mouthed 'trust me' as to which the cowboy simply leaned back and watched the scene unfold. 

“Do you know how to do a pinky promise?”

Gabriel's smile broadened and he practically vaulted out of the chair to meet Hanzo halfway, his smaller stature requiring him to lean across the table.

“Yubikiri?”

Hanzo nodded and their pinkies linked. Jesse sat back with his arms folded over his chest, watching as they bobbed their linked hands up and down, reciting the words in Japanese. 

“Yubikiri genman, uso tsuitara hari sen bon nomasu, yubi kitta.”

It was a morbid promise but the way Gabriel's eyes shined at the prospect of food made it considerably less embarrassing. Hanzo happily continued the ritual and once it came to an end, they pressed their thumbs together. 

“Sealed with a kiss,” they said in unison.

Gabriel pulled his hand away and threw his hands in the air with a loud cheer. Hanzo smiled, opening his mouth to say something until he noticed the sleeve of Gabriel's shirt falling revealing scarred skin. Gabriel didn't seem to notice as he lowered his arms, turning his head to greet whoever came into the room. Synthetic laughter caught Hanzo's attention and he turned to an amused Genji leaning against Zenyatta as he tried to muffle his laughter. The omnic shrugged off his pupil and floated over to Gabriel, plucking the levitating orb out of the air. Gabriel looked on in awe then snapped back to himself, bowing his head.

“I’m sorry for taking your orb.”

“It is quite alright, young one,” Zenyatta replied. "How are you feeling?"

Gabriel lifted his head and looked at the bowl, pulling it closer and shoveling a copious amount of noodles in his mouth.

"Hungry, it seems," Zenyatta tossed the orb up and it joined the others rotating in a slow circle around him.  “Jesse, Hanzo, might I speak with you?”

Using Gabriel's hunger to their advantage, the pair slipped away from the table and went to join Genji by the doorway. Hanzo glanced over his shoulder to ensure that Gabriel was kept busy. Though he couldn't see his face with how far his head was buried in the bowl. Shaking his head, he turned back to Zenyatta and saw that the omnic was looking in Gabriel's direction as well.

“My orb was able to placate him for a time but there is something deeper taking root within his heart.”

Jesse frowned, folding his arms across his chest. “Are you sayin’ that he’s dangerous, Zen?”

“No,” Zenyatta responded. “I am saying that he is hurt.”

An image of the scarred skin along Gabriel's wrist flashed in Hanzo's mind and he grimaced. Jesse looked at him from the corner of his eye and he returned the gaze with a shake of his head. To his surprise, Genji hadn't said anything throughout the entire altercation even though he'd witnessed Hanzo doing something remarkably childish. He glanced towards his brother and saw him leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. It was hard to tell where Genji's eyes were with his visor in place but his fingers were tapping against his bicep. Hanzo frowned, he knew more than anyone else what Genji's tells were, and his brother was worried.

“The others may wish to investigate Talon’s appearance in Kings Row and how it is connected to their presence in an abandoned area. I am hoping that you will agree with me that such questions are best left for when they have time to heal.”

Zenyatta folded his hands in his lap and the lights on his forehead became a deeper shade of blue. 

“The Iris tells me that they have never known true peace."

A loud noise broke the somber silence that fell over the four-man group. Genji gestured behind them with an incline of his head and Hanzo glanced back in time to see Gabriel running to him. 

“Mister Hanzo,” he yelled and held out an empty bowl. “I’m done!"

The bowl was practically spotless though he knew it must've been because the boy licked it clean. Although he should've been happy that Gabriel liked his cooking so much, the truth of the matter broke down any pride he could've felt. 

“Do you have any more?”

Hanzo shook his head. “I am afraid not," he willed a weary smile. "Perhaps I can make you something else to eat after your bath.”

“Like what?”

He thought it over then took the bowl from him, pressing a finger to his lips. 

“It is a surprise."

Gabriel made a show of his displeasure by pouting and sliding his boot noisily against the floor. A mini sulk as it was would not be enough to make Hanzo relent and he brushed past the youth with the bowl in hand. It warmed his heart to see Gabriel behave like a child. The dead eyes he'd had before making Hanzo swallow hard as he washed the bowl out in the sink.

Behind him, Genji and Zenyatta made small talk with the child and Jesse lingered beside them. After a comparison between Genji's armor and Sentai Rangers, Gabriel's sulk eased. They'd gotten to a particular conversation about Genji facing off against a Godzilla-like dragon when Jesse interjected.

“I was just heading out to take a bath m’self, if you wanna tag along ki— Gabriel.”

Hanzo looked over his shoulder at the change in wording. The cowboy met his eyes and tipped his hat, turning on his heel and making his way out of the hall. Gabriel followed along at his heels and waved goodbye to Zenyatta and Genji, calling out a brief farewell to Hanzo as well. Once the doors slid closed, Genji looked at his brother and removed his faceplate.

The expression on his face was grim and Hanzo was almost certain that it mirrored his own.

* * *

Jesse mapped out the plan in his mind.

First, they'd head to his room and pick up some clothes for him to wear and bath necessities.

Second, they'll head over to the communal showers and bathe.

It seemed simple and straightforward when he repeated it again and again. Chancing a glance at the quiet child walking a few inches away from him, Jesse frowned. He wasn't around children as much as he'd been before but he knew most kids were noisier than this. Gabriel walked with his hands in his pockets and his gaze trained on the path ahead. His footsteps barely made any noise despite him wearing tattered boots.

"I don't mind being called a kid," Gabriel said.

Jesse blinked owlishly, then turned away with a nod, "That so?"

"Are you dating Mister Hanzo?"

He'd already deduced that Gabriel was intelligent. Hanzo didn't give out compliments very easy and if he called someone 'clever' then it was in Jesse's best interest to keep an eye on them.

"Something like that," Jesse explained with a shrug.

Gabriel hummed and nodded, "He's really nice."

Jesse felt a surge of pride. Be it far from him not to feel proud of Hanzo for how far he'd come and how much others noticed. When self-hatred and anguish gave way to the snarky charismatic man that he'd come to love. Jesse's smile softened and he stroked his hand along his beard, thinking about Hanzo linking pinkies with Gabriel and singing a nursery rhyme.

“Yeah," He agreed. "He is pretty great.”

They came to a halt in front of Jesse's room. He punched in the code, watching the door slide open and glancing back at Gabriel. The boy hung behind him with his back to the wall gazing intently at the new area in front of him. He seemed wary, his eyes narrowed and questioning, shifting from one foot to the other.

“Lemme pick some stuff up from the room first,” Jesse said making Gabriel look up at him. "Ya can stand out here if ya like."

The boy nodded and waited for Jesse as he picked around the room finding his pajamas and a few essentials. Finding some of Hanzo's effects mixed in with his things, the cowboy rolled his eyes and snatched the archer's body wash. He doubted that Gabriel would want to smell like pine. Vanilla was a pretty smell anyway.

“Alright, all set.”

Gabriel looked up at Jesse as he left the room. The cowboy tossed the vanilla-scented body wash to him along with a fluffy white towel. He held both in his arms and tilted his head to the side curiously.

"Don' rub your face agains' the towel," Jesse cautioned. "You're pretty dirty right now, bud."

He hoisted his own towel up on his shoulder and guided the boy to the communal showers.

“We can bathe in here,” Jesse said.

The showers were blissfully empty though he could hear the sound of dripping water from recent use. Gabriel gaped and looked around with wide eyes. Looking up at Jesse as the man started stripping, he tilted his head.

“Together?”

Jesse shook his head. “Well, nah. I mean… do ya need help bathin’?”

“No,” Gabriel deadpanned with a roll of his eyes. “I just don’t want to scare you.”

“Scare me?”

Jesse laughed, setting his body armor down as he wrestled with his boots. Gabriel folded his arms over his chest and scowled. While the expression might've been threatening on any other man, it was cute on him. Jesse stifled his laughter but he couldn't hide the smile in his voice. 

“How on Earth could ya scare me?”

Gabriel stared at him for a long time then shook his head. Jesse sighed, motioning to the growing pile of clothes as he stripped out of his own. 

“Here, we can put our dirty clothes over there.”

“Kay,” Gabriel replied then after a moment he spoke again. “Mister Jesse?”

“Yeah, kid?”

Jesse turned around and his eyes widened. Breath hitched in his throat, the bottle of body wash slipped out of his grasp and fell to the ground. Gabriel stood with his back to him fiddling with the knob to turn on the water. Scars littered his back, some small and others large, some etched into his arms discoloring the skin and jagged marks around his ankles, knees, and elbows as if someone just pieced him together. Slowly, he turned around and Jesse felt his heart tighten at the sight of scars on his chest and lower stomach. 

“— Mister Jesse?"

He snapped back and saw Gabriel staring at him. He shook his head and tossed the boy a washcloth, averting his gaze. 

“Just turn it to the left for hot and the right for cold, kiddo."

"Kay," Gabriel said.

Jesse didn't turn around to see him leave or budge from the spot until he was sure that the boy started bathing. Walking to his own shower, he turned it on and let the water run over his head and his neck hoping it would wash away his guilt and anger.


	4. What Would He Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse isn't sure what the future holds, so he asks himself what would Gabriel Reyes do?

Jesse could barely hear the shower water over his own thoughts. Guilt weighed heavy on his chest and questions ricocheted from one corner of his mind to the next. Zenyatta’s words over allowing Gabriel and Shingen time to heal were well founded but Jesse doubted the monk would be happy to know to what extent. Jesse covered his mouth as the image of Gabriel’s scars refused to leave his mind. He knew he wasn’t responsible for them but the way Gabriel held onto Shingen, cried as they were pulled apart, that was Jesse’s fault.

_Who would do that to such a small kid?_

Turning off the shower head, Jesse stepped out of the stall and walked quietly to the entrance where his clothes laid. He couldn’t hear another shower running and his head swiveled from one way to the other.

“Gabriel?” He called out, voice echoing amidst the dripping shower heads. Silence called back to him and Jesse frowned, eyebrows knitted together. He turned the corner and came to a stuttering halt, noticing the bundle wrapped up on one of the benches. Locks of brown hair poked out from the top and small toes from the bottom. Quietly, Jesse walked forward and peered over the side, seeing Gabriel sleeping peacefully wrapped up in the blanket.

His chest rose and fell with every breath, little sniffles coming out from on occasion. Jesse bit the inside of his cheek and gently patted the boy’s head, moving away to pull on his own underwear and pajama bottoms. Though as he lifted his shirt, Gabriel sneezed in his sleep and Jesse turned around to look at him.

“Kid doesn’ have any clothes but them old ones, does he?”

Walking over, Jesse knelt down to slowly unravel the cocoon around Gabriel. He did his best not to look at the boy’s scars as he tried to help him into Jesse’s much larger shirt. It took awhile, Gabriel’s half-asleep state leaving Jesse unable to move his arms or lift him up without some sort of resistance. And once the shirt was over his head and arms were through the sleeves, Jesse picked him up, holding him close to his chest.

The cowboy glanced down at his prosthetic arm and hesitated, switching Gabriel over so he could lay cradled in the crook of his flesh arm. Cold metal against your back was a terrible way to wake up. And Gabriel deserved this rest if Jesse was a judge on the matter. Gathering their clothes and other items, Jesse walked out of the communal showers with a heftier load than he walked in.

Gabriel slept like the dead. His head lolled against Jesse’s chest, hair still damp from the shower, the t-shirt practically dwarfing his body, hiding the marks from view. Occasionally the collar would dip low or the hem would rise and Jesse caught glimpses of the scars on Gabriel’s ankles and chest, deepening the scowl on Jesse’s face.

_What are you gonna do with ‘im?_

Torbjorn’s words were a haunting reminder that even if the boys were safe for now. Would they be later?

Overwatch was still getting off the ground. Missions had to be done. People still needed to be saved. Justice still needed to be served. His entire world couldn’t just stop because of two lost souls. But, he couldn’t just abandon them either.

_Reyes wouldn’t have ---_

A yawn interrupted Jesse’s train of thought, his focus turning to the small child currently trying to stretch his arms over his head. Gabriel sniffled and wiped the back of his hand across his nose. His eyes opening up, glazed from sleep, staring unfocused at Jesse. Adjusting himself to bury his face against Jesse’s neck, Gabriel’s arms wrapped around the gunslinger’s neck, holding him close as the boy descended into sleep. Jesse shifted his hold on him and held him closer, hesitantly resting his cheek on top of Gabriel’s head.

The boy sighed in his sleep and nestled closer to him, tightening his hold. Jesse couldn’t remove him from his person or return him to his previous position. He’d seen the way Gabriel acted before, how angry he was, how sad, and how happy. That this child trusted Jesse enough to let him hold him. It made his mouth go dry and a stinging come to his eyes, head ducking down to hide it from any passer-by in the halls.

Jesse’s room door slid open with a hiss once he punched in the code, the clothes dropped unceremoniously into a heap near the entrance, save for his hat. His hat lingered in his hand for a moment before he plopped it down onto Gabriel’s, the Stetson far too big for a child, slipping over his ears and his eyes. The change didn’t stir him from sleep but it did make Jesse smile and feed the lingering thoughts in his mind.

_Reyes wouldn’t leave them._

Jesse’s smile slowly regressed into a frown as the door slid closed behind them, leaving the two in the dim lighting of Athena’s screen on his bedside table.

“Hey Athena,” Jesse said quietly, in hopes of not waking Gabriel. “Could ya tell Hanzo I’m in m’ room, lil tyke fell asleep on me.”

When she didn’t respond, Jesse looked up questionably at the disembodied AI before shaking his head and taking slow steps towards his bed. He hesitantly removed the hat from Gabriel’s head, supporting the back of it with his prosthetic hand as he lowered the boy onto the bed. Gabriel stretched his arms over his head and Jesse froze, watching him carefully until the boy’s head lulled to the side and his even breaths continued.

The gunslinger breathed a sigh of relief, sitting down on the edge of his bed to go through the nightly ritual of taking off his arm. It hissed once the clasps were undone and it was removed from the metal port connected to what remained of his right arm. Jesse held it gingerly as he set it down on the table next to him, cautiously glancing back before standing up and going to the connected bathroom to brush his teeth.

_What are you gonna do with ‘im?_

Nothing, he wanted to tell the voice of Torbjorn but the words refused to come out. Looking himself in the mirror, Jesse grumbled. He wasn’t the kind of man that Reyes was. Gabriel Reyes saw a punk kid that needed a chance at redemption, gave him a choice, helped him when no one else would have and gave him a home.

_And look where that got him._

Jesse spat into the sink, looking at himself with a scowl. He couldn’t do anything for Shingen and Gabriel. He couldn’t even save Gabriel Reyes. What good would he do for kids who already seemed like they were hurt by the world?

“It isn’t often that I can sneak up on you, Jesse.”

Hanzo’s voice startled Jesse from his thoughts and his heart leapt into his throat. Whipping his head around to see the other man, he found Hanzo leaning against the bathroom door. The archer’s hair was down and he was dressed in one of Jesse’s shirts and a pair of Gyarados pajama pants Hana got for him two months ago. He wasn’t all dressed up like most days, and this was true loungewear that almost all of Overwatch could agree the archer didn’t have. But there was something so endearing about Hanzo dressed so casually that made Jesse smile.

“You’re lookin’ finer than frog’s hair split three ways, darlin’,”

Hanzo raised a brow, seemingly unimpressed, though the small smile said otherwise. Jesse’s heart hammered in his chest as the distance between them became smaller until it was non-existent. Hanzo’s hand on the back of his neck, Jesse’s head leaning down, and their lips meeting somewhere in the middle. This was one of Jesse’s favorite parts of coming home; when Hanzo kissed him like it was their first time. Slow and patient, gentle yet earnest, pleasant and pleasing in every way. The archer’s free hand on Jesse’s lower back, urging him closer into the embrace, and once the kiss ended they were simply looking at one another with foreheads pressed together.

Jesse felt giddy every time he could look at Hanzo like this. The other man was so guarded when they met, reluctant to share his fears and his hopes with anyone, even his own brother. His eyes devoid of emotion trying to keep himself under control even around those who wanted to help him. With time, those emotions returned to Hanzo’s eyes, his voice, his gestures, and Jesse couldn’t help the joy he felt when Hanzo looked back at him with as much love as he felt for the archer.

But amidst that love and affection was concern. And Jesse realized that his eyes must’ve given him away as well.

“What’s wrong, Jess?”

Jesse hesitated. The words weighed heavy on his tongue and he squeezed his eyes shut, hoping it would keep _his_ eyes from telling the story.

“We can’ keep ‘em, Han.”

His voice wavered when he spoke but he tried to sound strong. Strong enough to remind himself that they couldn’t, that it was absolutely impossible. Unthinkable to even approach the idea.

“Overwatch as it is ain’ the place a kid can grow up in,” Jesse continued when Hanzo didn’t reply. “And I know ‘Reeha grew up here but times were different.”

They were whole then.

_Reyes was there._

Jesse choked down the guilt and the tears that threatened to fall. “Those boys’ve been hurt, Zen ain’ gotta tell me that. But ---”

He could still see the room they stayed in. The way Shingen crowded Gabriel close to him, glaring down Jesse as he entered the room, ready to fight even though he was bleeding out. Gabriel’s cries as he fought to get closer to Shingen. Petting his head when he realized there was nothing he could do for Shingen. Nestling closer to Jesse as he slept.

“When I looked into Shingen’s eyes, I saw somethin’ so desperate to survive, so… that kid would’ve done anythin’ to protect Gabriel and I wonder how long he’s had to. It’s like there’s nobody out there lookin’ out for them and for how long? Somebody must’ve seen them kids before and they just let ‘em walk around like that?”

The more he talked, the angrier he got. Imagining the two walking the streets of King’s Row. The number of people that passed them by but did nothing. It was until Hanzo’s fingers brushed against his cheek that Jesse realized he was crying. Hot tears rolling down his cheeks, his eyes open, face scrunched in frustration slowly loosening at realization.

“Sorry about all that,” he sniffed and wiped at his eye with his hand.

Hanzo didn’t say anything. His hand slipping away from Jesse’s neck, taking the one Jesse wiped his face with and lacing their fingers together. 

“Come to bed, Jesse.” 

The gunslinger nodded and allowed himself to be led back to the bed. Gabriel shifted to one side in his sleep and Jesse chuckled as the boy occupied the right side as much as his small body could. Jesse slipped into bed first, allowing Hanzo to sit on the outside so he could disconnect the clasps on his prosthetic legs, setting them against the wall near Jesse’s arm. Afterward, the archer swung his legs up onto the bed and Jesse wrapped his arms around his torso, nestling his head under Hanzo’s chin. The archer rested his hand on Jesse’s shoulder, rubbing slow circles. 

Gabriel’s soft snores, the gentle hum of Athena’s screen and their own breathing was a lullaby for Jesse. But he tried to stay awake long enough to have a conversation. 

“Athena told ya where I’d be?” 

Hanzo hummed in response. “She wanted to apologize for not responding to you, she didn’t wish to risk waking him.” 

That surprised Jesse considering the AI didn’t have trouble waking him for a debriefing. “Guess he’s growin’ on everyone,” Jesse chuckled. “What was that promise thing you did with him earlier?” 

“It is a pinky swear but a tad more severe,” Hanzo replied with a chuckle. 

“Oh, I can tell,” Jesse teased, sitting up to look down at him. “Swallowing needles?” 

Hanzo put on his best serious face, complete with a scowl. “Promises are serious business, Jesse,” he replied. 

Jesse snorted and shook his head, pressing a kiss to Hanzo’s nose, making the other man wrinkle it with a smile. “Understood,” the gunslinger replied and laid down again. 

A comfortable silence filled the lull in conversation but Jesse could feel the tension caused by words left unsaid. Hanzo’s slow circles on his arm were doing wonders for putting him to sleep. The archer’s heartbeat a soft rhythmic lullaby as the gunslinger held him a little tighter as his eyes closed.. 

“You wish to keep them here,” Hanzo said abruptly, making Jesse open his eyes. 

“I at least wanna give ‘em a choice,” Jesse replied. “Gabriel won’t go anywhere without Shingen, so it’s up to him from the looks of it.” 

And the older boy didn’t seem fond of him in the slightest. Jesse was certain if Reyes was around, he’d find the comparison hilarious. 

“And if he doesn’t choose to stay?” 

Jesse’s heart tightened in his chest and Hanzo replied by hugging him closer, pressing a kiss to the top of his head out of apology and reassurance. 

“Then I’ll try t’ change his mind,” Jesse said firmly. 


	5. What Comes Next

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo makes a promise and witnesses something interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> Thanks for waiting so long for the update. I’m trying to figure out a schedule so I can keep on top. But as a shout out, if you want to be a beta reader for Hereditary, please contact me at @skele-bones! 
> 
> Also, would you guys prefer a weekly update or a monthly update? Please comment below or send me an ask.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, chasing away the shadows of a dimly lit room. Rays of brightness reflected off the screen of Athena’s terminal and onto a sleeping child’s eyelids, his small body curled up underneath a large blanket. Gabriel wrinkled his nose and his eyes cracked open into narrowed slits, glossy from sleep. He blinked a few times, growing adjusted to the light, and slowly pushed himself up, rocking from side to side. A loud yawn escaped his lips accompanied by a groan as he stretched his arms above his head, the large shirt covering his small frame brushing against his nose in the process. 

“Huh?” 

He pulled at the shirt with one hand and tilted his head to see what was on it. The shirt was red with a picture of a winking cowboy riding a horse stared back at him, the lone ranger twirling a lasso in the air, the words “Yee-haw” written in bold yellow letters across the top. Gabriel giggled and raised his hand in the air, imagining that he held a rope in his hand as he twirled it around then set it loose. A silly smile formed on his face as he brushed his hair away from his eyes. The smile slowly dissipating as he took in the foreign surroundings. Posters of cowboys, pictures of people he’d never seen before, an old radio, and boxes filled up to the brim until they spilled onto the floor, and a bed underneath him. 

Gabriel pressed his hand against the mattress and marveled at how it sunk in. It was a lot more comfortable than the beds he slept in before, or the attics, crawl spaces, backs of trucks, and other areas that Shingen found for them. Smiling down at the blanket covering his legs, he patted it and ran his fingers over the top. It was soft and there weren’t any holes it that he could poke his toes through or bugs crawling through the seams. Shingen usually gave him the blanket with less holes and no bugs, even if Gabriel told him it wasn’t fair. 

Someone grumbled in their sleep to his right and Gabriel twisted around to see dark hair fanned against a pillow. His eyes widened and he smiled, noticing the blanket extended to that person as well. At least Shingen hadn’t given him all the good stuff this time. And he’d laugh when he heard about the strange dream Gabriel had. 

Leaning over, Gabriel reached out a hand to pat Shingen’s head, and shake his shoulder. But once Shingen started to move, Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat as the blanket lowered and he saw a tattooed arm and a face that didn’t belong to Shingen at all. He pulled his hands back to his chest as if he’d been burned and stared at them. His heart hammered loud enough to drown out everything around him, fingers digging into the fabric of the shirt, obscuring the cheerful cowboy and his horse. 

It was real. 

Shingen wasn’t here, and he was all alone after all. 

The corners of Gabriel’s eyes stung, welling up with tears that threatened to spill over. His heart ached for Shingen as he twisted his fingers into the shirt, shoulders shaking. Gabriel’s lips quivered and he sucked in a deep breath before exhaling shakily. His knees coming up to press against his chest, dry heaving breaths accompanying light coughs as tears rolled down his cheeks. 

From the corner of his eye, a bright blue light flashed and he barely recognized the two looming figures floating in the air above him. Vision blurred from crying, Gabriel wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and sniffed hard. 

“We feel your pain, little one,” an airy voice said softly. “There is no need to hide your tears.” 

Gabriel slowly lowered his hand and tilted his head back. Two luminescent blue dragons stared back at him, their pupiless white eyes boring holes into his own, manes flowing despite a lack of wind, and snouts close enough for him to feel their heat. Their bodies were long, taking up most of the space in the room, but slowly they became smaller. 

“Long ago, we lost someone we held dear and mourned for years on end,” the dragons spoke although it was difficult to tell which one. “But deep in our hearts, we knew they still lived.” 

The dragons wrapped themselves around Gabriel’s shoulder, one nuzzling against his cheek while the other burrowed its face into his neck. They felt warm against his skin and light as a feather despite their massive size before. But most of all, they were comforting. Gabriel giggled as their long bodies wrapped around his arms, bright blue scales glittering in the sunlight and snouts tucked against his cheek or neck. 

“Although he may seem lost,” a soft airy voice on his left spoke. 

“He is not forgotten,” a deep rumbling voice spoke on his right. 

Gabriel faltered. One of his hands raised to rub against the dragon’s scales on his left arm as he leaned into the comforting warmth. The weight in his chest alleviated --- although not by much --- but at least he didn’t feel like crying anymore. Sniffing, he raised his hand carefully to wipe at his eyes. 

“Gabriel?” 

The dragons lifted their heads once Mister Hanzo spoke and Gabriel followed suit, doing his best to smile. 

“Morning Mister Hanzo!” He said, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards into a weak grin."I’m sorry for waking you up, I thought you were Shingen." 

* * *

Lazy mornings with Jesse were a common occurrence since their relationship began. Hanzo didn’t like to make a habit of breaking his routine, but there was something about waking up with Jesse in his arms that made it worthwhile. Seeing the soft golden light create a halo around his head and give off the image of a man who could do no wrong. And despite all of the wrong Jesse felt he might’ve done, when Hanzo looked at him, he saw everything that was right in the world. The archer would spend a few minutes watching Jesse as he slowly woke, opened his mouth with a loud yawn, and blinked away the last vestiges of sleep. They’d share a kiss which may lead to a few more and a late start to the day, but one that Hanzo would hold in his heart until his last breath. 

But this morning was unlike the others. When Hanzo cracked his eyes open, sunlight nearly blinding him, an itchy sensation made him reach instinctually for his left arm. Two blue swirling lights floated across his line of sight and Hanzo sighed in relief. It was only the dragons getting a headstart for the day. Mentally, he reminded them not to make off with Jesse’s belt buckle for a fortieth time, but they did not respond. 

A soft sniffle permeated the morning’s silence along with a few weak coughs and Hanzo’s eyes shot open. That didn’t sound like Jesse at all. Looking to his left, Hanzo saw the gunslinger sleeping peacefully with his face tucked into the crook of his arm. The sniffles persisted and Hanzo pushed himself up into a sitting position, looking to his right. 

“Gabriel?” 

Hanzo’s heart nearly leapt into his throat at the sight of his dragons coiled around the boy’s arms. They were wound tight enough to show they wouldn’t let go without a fight but not tight enough to cause him undue harm. Soba, the one with a cracked horn, pressed its snout to Gabriel’s cheek and rubbed the fur of its mane against his face. Udon twisted its body to look at Hanzo as Gabriel lifted his head, happily greeting him with a smile. 

_I thought you were Shingen._

A decade of torment and isolation might have left Hanzo’s social skills in need of work but he knew a feigned smile. The dragons wouldn’t have emerged of their own accord unless it was an emergency. And this definitely counted. 

“There is no need for apologies,” Hanzo reassured as he stretched his arms above his head. “It is unwise to stay in bed for so long afterall.” 

Gabriel slowly nodded then returned to busying himself with rubbing his fingers against the dragons’ scales. The sounds of early morning filled the silence but Hanzo felt a heavy tension in the air. A faint buzzing noise in his ears, as if the air around his head was crackling and popping, familiar voices murmuring in his mind. 

“He mourns,” Soba whispered. . 

“And suffers in silence,” Udon replied. 

“We worry for him,” they said in unison. “We fear for him.” 

There weren’t many things that could frighten the twin dragons. They were supernatural forces of nature capable of felling any foe within their sight. And even at his best, Hanzo struggled to contain their hunger. For them to fear for Gabriel’s well being was something new and uncharted. 

Hanzo frowned, watching Gabriel as he hugged the dragons close to his chest in an attempt to make himself as small as possible. The archer had seen something like this before. When Genji was just a boy and felt threatened or sad, he tried to make himself smaller to avoid punishment or talking. It made reasoning with him or finding the root of the problem much harder. Yet, a younger Hanzo yearned for it when Genji changed from shrinking away to yelling in return. 

Shaking off the looming thoughts and dread of recounting the past, Hanzo took in a deep breath. 

“Would you like to see Shingen?” 

Gabriel’s head shot up and he looked at Hanzo as if the archer hung the moon and the stars. 

“Huh?” 

The hope in the boy’s eyes tugged at Hanzo’s heartstrings. He wasn’t sure if Doctor Ziegler would allow others in the medbay when she was working with a patient. But surely she could make an exception for Gabriel. 

“Can you really do that, Mister Hanzo?” 

Hanzo mentally cursed Jesse for his vulnerability towards big brown eyes. “Surely Doctor Ziegler will make an exception,” he replied carefully. 

Gabriel stared at him quietly and Hanzo resisted the urge to fidget. Being under observation wasn’t fun and he hated to be scrutinized. Though Gabriel was quick in his assessment and whatever conclusion he came to must’ve been a good one. 

“Mister Jesse said he’s a man of his word, and he is,” Gabriel smiled up at him, this time the hearty grin reaching his eyes. “And so are you.” 

Shuffling onto his knees, Gabriel came closer and wrapped his arms around Hanzo’s torso. His head rested against his chest and the dragons loosened themselves to slither up the expanse of Hanzo’s back. The archer could feel the residual heat from their travel but his attention was focused on the boy in his arms. 

“Thank you, Mister Hanzo.” 

Hanzo smiled gently and wrapped his arms around Gabriel, hugging him close to his chest. 

“You are very welcome,” he replied with a light squeeze. 

After a brief moment of hugging, Gabriel pulled away from Hanzo and smiled at him. The sunlight created a halo effect, casting a golden hue upon him, the scars on his skin serving as a reminder of the hardships he’d faced. Though his physical state did little to hinder the happiness in his eyes. Hanzo returned the smile with a small one of his own. 

“What’s this about Mister Jesse?” 

Gabriel’s smile slackened and he peeked over Hanzo as Jesse slowly rose. The gunslinger’s hair was everywhere and without a shirt, his hair-covered torso was on full display. Scars and tattoos that Hanzo knew well, stretched and warped as Jesse stretched his arms over his head letting out a tremendously loud yawn which startled even the dragons. 

Hanzo shot the cowboy a half-hearted glare only to be rewarded with the dopiest smile in existence. Rolling his eyes, he tilted his head and smiled as Jesse’s lips came into contact with his cheek. 

“Mister Jesse is the last one to wake up,” Hanzo teased. “So he will be the one to make breakfast.” 

Jesse groaned and pressed his face to the crook of Hanzo’s neck. The vibrations from his mumbling made the archer want to shudder. However, he refused to do so in front of the dragons. At least when they slept it was easier to let himself go. Despite that, it didn’t stop him from burying his fingers in Jesse’s hair and stroking through the locks as they talked. The gunslinger turned his head to lay on Hanzo’s shoulder, staring up at him with those whiskey-brown eyes. 

“Now darlin’, it’s Reinhardt’s week to cook. 

“I am sure that he is exhausted after yesterday’s events.” 

“Reinhardt is here?!” 

Both Hanzo and Jesse jolted out of their early morning ritual and took notice of the small child watching them eagerly. Gabriel looked between them fast enough that he might have been a mini Tracer. From the corner of his eye, Hanzo saw Jesse staring at Gabriel and recalled their conversation from the night before. If it was up to him, Gabriel would never lose that smile of his. 

“That he is,” Hanzo replied as he detangled himself from Jesse. A wise decision because Gabriel took it upon himself to help the cowboy in getting up. 

“I wanna see him! C’mon, Mister Jesse, get up! C’mon!” 

The boy was too small to push Jesse out of bed but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t try. While Hanzo shifted to the right side of the bed, he watched with an amused smile as Gabriel tried to shove Jesse off. It reminded him of a small cub trying to wake its sleeping father. 

“Hanzo, help!” 

Jesse laughed once Gabriel slipped and landed face down on the bed. Pouting and determined, the boy pushed up onto his knees and reached out to launch a tickle attack of epic proportions. Hanzo’s eyebrows raised and he covered his mouth with his hand, trying to stifle his laughter. 

“Apologies but there’s nothing I can do,” he said not sounding sorry in the slightest. 

“Mister Jesse, get up!” Gabriel whined, shaking Jesse by the shoulder once he ran out of tickle spots. 

“Alright, alright, little bronco,” Jesse replied and slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. The cowboy leaned over to grab his hat and plopped it down on Gabriel’s head, grinning as it slipped over his ears. Hanzo smiled and lowered his hand from his face, watching as Gabriel played an impromptu game of peek-a-boo with Jesse by lowering and raising the hat in quick successions. 

Eventually, the game came to an end once Jesse looked down at Gabriel’s state of dress. 

“We’re gonna have to get you some new clothes too, y’can’t be runnin’ around in your birthday suit and a t-shirt.” 

Gabriel tilted his head to the side, briefly looking down at himself then back up. “What about my old clothes?” He asked, the simple question sending a shudder down Hanzo’s spine. 

The clothes in question were a stain on his memory that could never be erased. In Hanzo’s childhood, if even the slightest tear was present in his clothing, it was quickly removed and taken to a tailor. Nowadays, he didn’t have the “luxury” of having others wait on him hand and foot but his insistence on keeping up his appearance was all the same. To the point where he even learned how to sew, knit, and such. Gabriel’s clothes were far beyond repair and with the coming winter, Hanzo couldn’t even imagine allowing such him to brave the cold with shoes that couldn’t even close properly. 

“They were covered in dirt and grime,” Hanzo said, nose wrinkled in disgust. “I am afraid to say they did not make it out of the washer.” 

“Aw,” Gabriel pouted and folded his arms across his chest hard enough to make himself bounce up and down. “Those were my favorite boots.” Hanzo and Jesse shared a look over Gabriel’s head. Neither of them were strangers to a child’s sulking but they understood having a treasured item. Jesse’s hat and Peacekeeper was important to him just like Hanzo’s sash and Stormbow was important to him. If someone told Hanzo that his sash was missing and Stormbow was in disrepair, he may have been just as upset as Gabriel. Or even more so if he was being honest with himself. 

Jesse nudged Hanzo’s side and the archer glanced at him. The cowboy motioned down to Gabriel’s sulking form and Hanzo wracked his brain to think of the right thing to say. Jesse was right, he did need new clothes, and if they knew what Gabriel’s preferences were then it would make shopping easier. Hanzo smiled, reaching out to tilt Gabriel’s head up, resisting the urge to smile at the sulky frown. 

“I’m sure we can find you something you’ll like just as much,” Hanzo said softly. “Maybe even a hat of your own.” 

The prospect made Gabriel’s eyes shine as he stared up at Hanzo in awe. Yet once the initial wonder passed, Gabriel shook his head, making Jesse’s hat fall over his eyes. Lifting up the brim, he peeked up at Hanzo. 

“What about Shingen?” 

Jesse hummed thoughtfully, chiming in. “I’m sure some of my old clothes are still in storage, he might be able to fit ‘em. And if need be, we can find ‘im somethin’.” 

Gabriel nodded sagely, the hat sagging down over his eyes. Hanzo smiled fondly and tilted it back so the boy could see. A sunny smile warmed the archer’s heart and glancing from the corner of his eye, Hanzo could see he wasn’t the only one. 

“He really likes black or a goldish-yellow, blue is cool too though,” Gabriel explained, utterly oblivious to the looks around him. 

“And what colors do you prefer?” 

Gabriel folded his arms and hummed. The pause went on for some time and Hanzo felt as if this was the hardest decision Gabriel would face today. Jesse nudged him, handing his prosthetics over the boy’s head. The two set to getting themselves prepared to start the day while Gabriel deliberated. Quiet in their motions as to not disturb him, both Hanzo and Jesse stiffened up when Gabriel shouted. 

“Black and purple,” he yelled, seeming satisfied for a second before a flicker of alarm crossed his features. “Oh and red.” 

Hanzo catalogued the information for later use while Jesse cleared his throat, poking at Gabriel’s stomach lightly. 

“Y’know red is my favorite color, so it’s mildly insultin’ that it’s your third.” 

There wasn’t any heat to Jesse’s words but Hanzo knew how much the gunslinger loved the color red. From his serape to most of his clothing, red was a very important part to the look that made up Jesse McCree. Gabriel rubbed at the spot Jesse poked and pouted. 

“Black is pretty though! And purple is kind of fancy, ain’t it?” 

Hanzo’s world came to a screeching stop. Alarms blared in his mind as Jesse’s lips curled upwards into a grin and his eyes lit up. 

“Oh spirits,” Hanzo muttered as he put his face in his hands. 

Gabriel looked between them as if he was witnessing a very interesting -- if not confusing -- turn of events. “What?” 

“Ya used the word ‘ain’t’,” Jesse said proudly. 

“Jesse, that is not a word,” Hanzo replied half-heartedly glaring at the other man. 

“I believe it is, Hanzo.” Jesse replied, a shit-eating grin on his face as he climbed out of bed. “Ain’t it, Gabriel?” 

Hanzo prayed to the spirits and his ancestors that Gabriel wouldn’t play along. But the quizzical expression on the boy’s face gave way to understanding, and Hanzo could hear the dragons laughing in his mind. 

“I don’t see why it ain’t,” Gabriel replied with an emphasis on the dreaded word. 

Jesse threw his head back with raucous laughter. The absolute joy on his face showed in a beaming smile, dimpled cheeks, and skip in his step. Shoving his own mortification aside, Hanzo couldn’t help but feel happy for the cowboy. Gabriel stood up on their bed and raised his arms above his head making the shirt fall further down his shoulders. The scarred skin along his shoulder blades made Hanzo’s blood boil and the dragons’ were insistent on asking questions but there was a point in which all three agreed. 

Gabriel had endured too much for someone so young. 

“Well, c’mon lazy bones,” Jesse said, planting a kiss to the side of Hanzo’s head. “We ain’t gonna be late to breakfast since I’m cookin’.” 

Dark thoughts pushed aside, Hanzo rolled his eyes. “Why are you like this?” He asked, climbing out of bed and walking to their shared closet to find clothes for the day. 

“Aw, you love me.” 

Hanzo paused in his search. A slow smile creeping onto his face as he turned to look over his shoulder, pinning the cowboy in place with a meaningful gaze. 

“I do,” Hanzo said. 

He loved watching Jesse play with Gabriel. Loved the slight teasing the two had settled into. How Jesse’s eyes widened at the declaration and his face turned a ruddy red color as he ducked his head, blatantly hiding from Hanzo’s stare and Gabriel’s questions on what was going on. After the boy asked for the umpteenth time, Jesse practically scooped up him in his arms, Gabriel laughing all the while. 

“Alright, enough teasin’ ol’ Jesse. We got places to be!” 

Hanzo turned around, smiling to himself. Maybe the difference in his morning routine wasn’t bad afterall. 

* * *

Overwatch’s mess hall was bustling with early morning traffic when the trio arrived. Gabriel was perched on Jesse’s back like a small child-shaped backpack, the gunslinger’s hat occasionally falling over his eyes. Hanzo pushed the brim of the hat up and felt the corner of his mouth twitch upwards when Gabriel smiled. Ana was the first to notice them, her tired smile refusing to reach her eyes

“Mornin’ ma’am,” Jesse said as he swooped down to peck her cheek. “Say g’mornin, Gabriel.” 

The little boy poked his head up, making the hat slip over his eyes. “Mornin’ ma’am!” He repeated enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. 

Ana giggled, lifting the hat up to see his eyes. “Well, it seems we have two outlaws here.” 

Gabriel seemed to like the title because he struck a pose, flexing his bicep and making the t-shirt around him slip further. Jesse straightened his back and cursed his luck as Ana’s eyes widened. 

“Jesse J. McCree, is that boy only wearing a shirt?” 

Everyone seemed to quiet down at once. Jesse’s eyes flickering between the others’ faces as he searched for an answer. When all else failed, he looked to Hanzo for help only to find the archer was staring back at him. 

“You didn’t get him any underwear?” 

“It was spur of the moment!” Jesse protested, adjusting Gabriel on his hip. “Kid just got here last night.” 

Gabriel covered his mouth in a failed attempt to stifle his laughter. Jesse’s hat fell over his eyes again obscuring his vision as the cowboy shot him a half-hearted look of betrayal. Hanzo tried to cut off his own fit of laughter, looking the other way, his lips twitching upwards. His eyes met Genji’s and the conversation surrounding the cowboy and Gabriel’s current state of dress became background noise. Visor removed and other parts of his armor stashed away, Genji looked almost like his younger self. The garrish green hair from his youth was replaced with inky black, a t-shirt with Lucio’s trademark and black sweatpants completing the look. However, what made Hanzo stiffen up was the knowing smile on his brother’s face. It wasn’t the smile of a man who’d found serenity and felt happy or his brother doing the same. 

No, it was the smile of a younger brother ready to tease until Doomsday. Resigned to his fate at the mercy of his brother’s nature, Hanzo turned his attention back to the squabbling between Jesse and the other members assembled for an early start. Hana and Brigitte took up one of the closer tables, practically draped over one another, Torbjorn setting steaming cups of coffee in front of them. The old mechanic gave his daughter’s shoulder a shake first then tapped Hana on her head, trudging away with a grumble as they blearily opened their eyes. 

Lucio was fiddling with one of his sound systems, his shoulder knocked against Genji’s, and one of Zenyatta’s orbs sitting on his lap. It took only a few seconds for him to notice Hanzo’s gaze, a little smile and wave given before returning to his work. Genji’s hawk-like gaze momentarily shifted to the DJ and Hanzo raised his eyebrows at the sight of his brother pushing a stray lock behind Lucio’s ear. 

Genji froze in his ministrations and quickly shot Hanzo a warning glare to which the elder Shimada smiled wryly and winked, turning his head afterwards despite feeling his brother glaring daggers. 

**Author's Note:**

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> 
> If you guys want to talk to me, share your headcanons about what's going to happen next, or send me a few comments, or **know the status of my fics** or something (because you don't want to over Ao3) send it to my tumblr **@skele-bones** . Anons are welcome, please abide by the golden rule.
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> Send kudos and comments, keep this ol' writer going.


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